


La Foule (the crowd)

by OnlyZouzou



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Clarke Griffin & Wells Jaha Friendship, F/M, Fluff, Love at First Sight, New Year's Kiss, love at first kiss, they don't know what's gonna hit them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23362042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyZouzou/pseuds/OnlyZouzou
Summary: Falling in love at the first kiss isn't impossible for Bellamy and Clarke
Relationships: Bellamy Blake & Octavia Blake, Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin, Clarke Griffin & Wells Jaha, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 71





	1. La Foule (The Crowd)

**Author's Note:**

> Since I didn't want to wish you a Happy New Year 2020 three months late, I decided to act as if we were already at the end of the year 2020, which, given the way it's going, wouldn't be a big deal if you ask me.  
> Inspired by Edit Piaf's very famous (very french with a lot of RRRRRRRRRR) song "la foule". I hope I've managed to recreate that aura of magic, of unexpected moments, of love at first sight and the bittersweet ending that her lyrics know how to cause (sorry for that).
> 
> Also, this is an attempt for me to get rid of the blank page curse that has been haunting me now for months and months, so don't be too hard on me and please tell me if you liked it!
> 
> Thanks!

> _ "Quand soudain, je me retourne, il se recule  
> Et la foule vient me jeter entre ses bras" _

December 31, 2020

Clarke had zero intention of coming to this party. 

To say that her December 31, 2020 program had been set many weeks ago would be an understatement. No, the schedule for December 31, 2020, has been decided for several years now, since it has been the same for more than a decade. Because it's well known, and everyone close to her knows this, Clarke spends every New Year's Eve in the same way. 

First of all, she works like a maniac, putting in the hours at the hospital to be as exhausted as possible, agreeing to all the extra hours, all the possible replacements, and burying herself in the highest and most imposing mass of work. Why is that? Because it gives her the perfect excuse to dodge invitations from all her colleagues, relatives and friends. Seeing her and her hectic schedule, they can't help but see the evidence: Clarke is far too tired to go out and party all night long. 

Then she makes sure to end her last shift as late as possible. The ideal time, 10 pm. Believe her experience, 9 pm is too early, most parties are far from having even begun. And 11 pm is too late, Clarke doesn't hate the New Year so much that she just wants to go home, crash into bed and sleep until January 1st. 10 pm, and that way she's almost sure not to run into anyone in the hallways and avoid the last unexpected invitation. 

Finally, she goes home (to her apartment where she finally lives alone and without a roommate since she moved in at the beginning of last year) puts on her softest pajamas (the one with the black and white zipped jacket and whose cat ears adorn the hood), pulls her favorite pizza out of the freezer (a three-cheese, of course) and devours it on her couch once it's quickly cooked in the microwave, wrapped in her warmest plaid (a patchwork of all of her father's favorite T-shirts) and in front of her favorite comedy show (Brooklyn 99, what else).

However, this is her first December 31st in Arkadia and if there is one thing Clarke has forgotten to consider in the equation, it's the friends she's made over the last ten months. Friends who, as she would discover to her dismay tonight, were far more resilient, stubborn and smart than all the people she had ever met put together. 

Their plan has been in motion for a long time, and by the time she realizes it, it's far too late to stop it. 

Because it's Wells himself, the ever-busy, never there, always on a mission around the world ...Wells, her best friend, her almost brother, her favorite person in the whole universe, who is the number one step in this diabolical plan. 

The young man rings her doorbell at 7 pm sharp, just as Clarke has returned earlier (and reluctantly) from her shift due to some computer bug. 

Then, Clarke understands immediately who is the mastermind behind all this.

**"No, she doesn't look upset, Raven,"** Wells explains on the phone, which he holds firmly between his shoulder and his cheek as he strides into her apartment. 

He puts the two large travel bags in his hands in the doorway and finally looks up at her before giving her the most beautiful smile. A smile that warms Clarke from the inside, a smile that reminds her of all the precious childhood memories they shared, a smile that makes her feel like she's finally home, which is ridiculous because between her and him, she's already home and he's the one who's finally back.

**"I think we broke her, Raven,"** he laughs as she simply returns his blissful smile without saying anything as if she were experiencing a dream that she would soon wake up from. **"She doesn't move, she looks at me as if she's seen a ghost, I'm going to hang up now. See you later."**

_Raven_... Raven, the misunderstood genius who plays her tricks from the shadows, smarter than all the brains Clarke had the opportunity to operate on, but still unable to face the feelings she formed towards Wells in just two meetings. Feelings shared in secret, and which led to the two of them swapping numbers to set up this ambush, Clarke would learn later that night.

Wells has barely enough time to put his phone down on the kitchen sketch-covered island when a whirlwind crashes into him when Clarke finally wakes up from her trance, a veritable storm of blond hair and cries of joy. He catches her in mid-air, of course, as always, when she jumps at his neck and comes to wrap her arms around his neck in a familiar and oh-so-soothing embrace. 

When he puts her down on the ground, their expressions are the same, their eyes damp and their smiles wide open.

**"Ouch!"** shouts Wells while rubbing his arm when she hits him with her fist, exclaiming:

** "Wells Jaha! You didn't tell me you were coming home for the holidays!" **

If Clarke ever needed another reason to not celebrate New Year's Eve, she'd surely add to the list the fact that Wells could rarely be there to celebrate it with her.

Her best friend laughs out loud and embarrassedly explains himself by rubbing his neck: 

** "Raven thought this would be a nice surprise for you... She told me it's not easy for you right now..." **

** "Raven, huh?" **

Clarke can't help it. She raises her eyebrows in a knowing look.

**" Shut up, please,"** he says, and the woman could almost swear he's blushing. **"And I'm not just back for the holidays, not really."**

Clarke's heart misses a beat at these words. Images are springing up in her head that she can't stop. Hopeful images of a life that Wells would truly be a part of. Her blue eyes fill with tears, and she barely dares to open her mouth to ask if what she believes is true. Always aware of her thoughts, he goes on and says:

** "I'm here for good, Clarke. I'm done with overseas missions. I'm staying." **

Then all she can do is rush into his arms again. Tears run freely down her cheeks now, and she doesn't care. Because, indeed, things haven't been easy lately. 

This job that she loved so much and studied so hard for is becoming overwhelming and she's questioning her career choices. Clarke no longer thrives in what she does daily. She now feels more pain and guilt about not being able to save the people she's trying to help than she holds happiness about having helped those she could save. 

Two of her friends have just gotten married and are expecting a baby and of course, she's happy for Harper and Monty, but she can't help but compare her own love life to their sweet, simple and beautiful story.No one is waiting for her when she gets home and she broke up with Cillian herself only a few weeks ago, after finally realizing that the ambitious doctor was only using her to promote himself at the famous Abigail Griffin Hospital. 

Abby, a mother Clarke barely talks to, except for work, by the way. 

The fact that the days were getting closer and closer to the anniversary of her father's death twelve years earlier didn't help either. 

But then, at this very moment, as Wells announces with a big smile that he has returned to stay and hugs her, she feels stronger. She knows that with him by her side, she can face anything. 

**"I'm so glad you're here,"** she whispers, her throat tightening.

**"Me too,"** Wells replies, freeing himself from her embrace.

Then he looks at her pajamas with a scowling frown and Clarke sees the next line coming from miles away. However, she can't do anything to stop it, doesn't even know if she wants to anymore.

** "Strange outfit for the 31st of December... What exactly were you planning to do with your evening?" **

She doesn't answer, the PJs, the freshly baked pizza and the paused TV on the Brooklyn 99 opening speak for themselves. 

**"Okay, I see,"** he laughs. **"But I'm here now."**

His smile is so genuine. It lights up his face and Clarke can't help but return it. 

** "Come on, Clarke, I'm not spending my first night back, on December 31st, locked in an apartment watching TV and eating frozen pizza!" **

**"Hey! You love frozen pizza, okay?"** she weakly argues.

** "I can't wait to see everyone, and Raven's waiting for us at Jasper's at nine." **

**"Raven, huh?"** she nags him again.

He sighs but she can see him trying to hide his smile.

** "You really need to stop this, right now. Please, Clarke. Let's go out. Please do this for me." **

Of course, Clarke can't find anything to respond to that. Honestly, she was already convinced by the time he even closed the door to the apartment behind him. However, now that she's come to her senses, there's a question she's quick to ask.

** "And how did Raven knew I was finishing at six tonight?" **

Her best friend's baffled look gives her the answer.

**"A computer bug, my ass!"** she exclaims as she realizes the trap that has been set for her. **"I guess Harper's in it too, then?"**

Because how could Harper have been wrong about the hospital's computer scheduling program? Harper, who still manages the agendas of all the surgeons at Arkadia Memorial with an iron fist and always knows everything. Harper, who never hesitates to meddle in other people's business, always for their own good, of course. Harper, who didn't hesitate to change Clarke's schedule without telling her so that she could finish her day early enough to come to the party organized by Jasper and Monty.

** "Jasper and Monty too?" **

Jasper and Monty, the hell duo and also the male nurse and lab tech that Clarke loves to work with the most. The first to warm up to the cold blonde whose famous last name didn't encourage anyone to get close. Those who introduced her to all the nice people in the hospital, those who gave her the best spots in this unknown city. 

Wells' expression tells her everything she needs to know.

** "Come on, Clarke, you can't blame us for wanting to spend some time with you and try to cheer you up." **

But Clarke's far from angry with them, she's more impressed than mad, more moved than upset. Besides, she never should have underestimated them in the first place.

** "You're good, I gotta admit." **

At this, her friend smiles, victorious.

** "Come on, go take a shower and change while I move into your guest room. We're expected by nine." **

Two hours later, as Clarke toasts with her friends to the success of their diabolical plan, Clarke only misses the cozy pajamas, the warm plaid, the usual pizza, and her favorite TV show a little bit. There she is, surrounded by the kindest, most adorable people in the entire universe, a glass of unknown liquor in her hand, surrounded by the laughter and chatter of the thirty other people that Monty and Jasper invited into the tiny apartment they shared before the Greens decided to move in together, and she feels more at home than ever.

Even more at home for sure than that time when her father never came home on time to celebrate the New Year, when her father never came home at all.

More at home for sure than the time she and Lexa had broken up by mutual agreement over the phone instead of wishing each other a Happy New Year, shattered by the long distance of their studies and the gap between their lives.

Definitely more at home than at the last gala where her mother had dragged her to make an appearance and where they had argued so badly that they were still trying to strengthen their mother-daughter relationship today.

The party is in full swing. On the kitchen table, Monty and Jasper have started a fierce beer-pong contest against their two girlfriends, Harper and Maya. Sitting comfortably on the sofa, Raven and Wells are making heart eyes at each other while discussing things that Clarke has given up understanding. Cillian tried to ask her to dance and didn't seem offended when she said no. Josephine, her best enemy, seems far too busy kissing Gabriel to taunt her the way she always does in the hospital where they both work, and even when Finn waved at her, Clarke felt no bitterness or sadness towards the man who broke both her and Raven's heart before Clarke had even celebrated her first month in town.

For once in more than a decade, Clarke is happy on a December 31st. Happy and a little tipsy, she must admit. This is no doubt why she answers an enthusiastic "yes" when her small group of friends suggests going to the countdown and the famous Arkadia New Year's fireworks display in the town's main square.

If someone had told her on this same day at this time last year (it's 11:27 p.m. on the watch she wears on her wrist that used to belong to her father) that she would be crammed into a small car heading to the heart of a new city to attend the New Year celebration, Clarke would never have believed it. Yet Monty is behind the wheel, Harper beside him, one hand on her husband's hand, the other caressing her newly rounded belly, and there's Clarke stuck between Wells and Jasper, carrying respectively Raven and Maya on their laps.

The music plays loud but not louder than her friends' voices, and she lets herself be drawn by the rhythm and the words, by their laughter and their dancing, until finally, she finds herself in the middle of the crowd, her eyes fixed on the countdown of the town square. 

10\. Multicolored lights are brightening up the surroundings with a fairy-tale glow. Everywhere, big speakers are playing festive music and the snow is falling softly over their heads. 

9\. Clarke shivers and further tucks herself into her long beige coat, putting her matching hat a little more over her ears, then exhaling into the hollow of the red scarf she borrowed from Raven to warm up a bit. 

8\. The crowd becomes restless and Clarke watches as the couples around her get closer and snuggle.

7\. Monty tenderly pulls a blonde lock of hair from Harper's face with a smile on his face.

6\. Maya wraps her arms around Jasper's neck, her sparkling black eyes lovingly gazing into her boyfriend's eyes.

5\. Even Wells and Raven orbit around each other, shy, but determined to be the one the other would kiss in the great leap of this New Year's passage.

4\. Clarke finally realizes that in this big crowd of strangers, she has no one to kiss when midnight will chime. 

3\. She turns and spins around, lost and slightly disoriented. Her back hits something - no, someone - strong and warm.

2\. She turns to face the young man standing in front of her. His voice is low and deep as he apologizes for bumping into her when it was she who wasn't looking where she was going.

1\. From him, she can only distinguish a few details. A shy but charmingly cute smile. A few scattered freckles. Brown curls sprinkled with snow. Two dark eyes that pierce through her and make her suddenly feel needy, burning with a consuming heat.

The collective "Happy New Year" roars loudly in the square, but sounds as if it were muffled in the bubble that is forming around them the moment their eyes meet. The question is as obvious in the brown of his eyes as the answer is in the azure of hers. 

Clarke steps forward as he leans in, putting his lips on her own. They're warm and soft. Their touch electrifies the young woman with a pulsating and burning current from the very first second, inviting her to relish this unexpected thrill. She lets her barriers crumble, her shell fades, her protections disappear and surrenders to the bewitching scent of her stranger for the few moments that would have made their kiss a chaste one. It's only once this moment has passed, when they both start to withdraw, that she realizes that she has no desire to step away. 

Luckily, he doesn't seem to want to break off their kiss either, if the respectful but possessive way in which he puts his hand on the small of her back means anything. A shiver runs through her at this reassuring touch. From hesitant and innocent, their kiss becomes daring. Clarke melts into his arms, and their bodies press even more closely together, nested like two pieces of a puzzle that have been lost for too long, while their lips are dancing with each other. When Clarke wraps her arms around his neck and touches his soft curls with her fingers, he sighs and deepens their kiss, flicking his tongue against hers, holding her tighter against him. One of his gloved hands comes to rest on her cheek in a gesture so natural that it's devastating. She would like to feel the raw touch of his fingers on her skin so much.

Somewhere in the edges of their impenetrable bubble, a crack is appearing and the sound of the crowd around them seeps into their space. All around them, people are shouting, singing and whistling their happiness to leave 2020 behind and the magic suddenly fades away. 

Too abruptly, the young man's lips are torn from hers and the warmth of their embrace is dampened as several people are forcing their way between their two bodies without paying attention to them, dragging them away from each other. 

For a brief moment, the tips of their fingers hold on, but the crowd comes and goes, unstoppable wave, and ultimately carries her stranger away. Soon, the black curls, the shy but sincere smile, the brown sloes, everything fades away. As though Clarke was just dreaming. 

Yet she holds a hand to her warm, sore lips and there it is, the burning memory of their kiss. 

Around her, her friends are laughing, shouting, singing and dancing together. If one of them has noticed the passionate and surreal embrace she has just shared with this perfect stranger, no one says anything about it. Wells and Raven come to hug her to wish her a Happy New Year, then it's Monty and Harper's turn, and finally Jasper and Maya's. 

Clarke smiles but feels her lips get stiff, her heart icy, and suddenly, among her dearest friends, Clarke feels more alone than she ever was.

> _ "Et traînée par la foule qui s'élance et qui danse _   
>  _Une folle farandole, je suis emportée au loin_   
>  _Et je crispe mes poings, maudissant la foule qui me vole_   
>  _L'homme qu'elle m'avait donné que je n'ai jamais retrouvé"_


	2. Find Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellamy's brooding and his sister's worried about him.
> 
> (Chapter Title from Find Me by Forest Blakk because I'm obsessed with this song and the bellarke edit that goes with it)

> _"To be clear_   
>  _I've seen a million faces_   
>  _I've seen a million different faces_   
>  _Each one mirroring that of your own_   
>  _And still, none of them felt like home to me_   
>  _None of them have felt like you"_

February 12, 2021

The door to his apartment opens and Bellamy doesn't have to turn his head to know that Octavia has just entered. After all, only she has a spare key to his place. He hears as she takes a resolute pace towards the couch where he's sitting comfortably, engrossed in his reading, then huffs and puffs, in frustration, before stating:

**"Okay, that's it, enough now. I can't take it anymore. Seeing you like this."**

Bellamy looks up at his book at the tone of his baby sister's voice and stares at her, puzzled and a little annoyed.

**"Hello to you, too, O,"** he says, sarcastic.

The brunette pushes his feet from where he has put them on his coffee table and sits in their place, then watches him with a frown.

**"Don't play dumb with me, big brother. When are you going to tell me what's wrong?"**

Bellamy sighs and straightens upon his brown leather sofa. He closes his book before putting it down beside him; it wasn't like he was reading it anyway. Octavia keeps staring at him with her inquisitive green eyes and the young man senses that this is a conversation he can no longer avoid. 

For too long Octavia has been walking on eggshells around him, asking how he is doing without coercing a confession, trying to get him to talk without confronting him. And if he can't help but smile affectionately when he sees how much his sister has changed at the touch of her boyfriend, he knew this masquerade couldn't last forever. The Octavia before Lincoln would have never hesitated to get in his face, to force words out of him, to nag him day and night until he finally spilled everything. The last six months with him have softened her, taught her to show restraint and respect for the feelings of others. 

Bellamy is actually quite proud of the fact that she lasted two months and twelve days before exploding. 

**"I'm fine,"** he says though, unable to show anything but stubbornness.

His sister takes a deep breath and then says:

**"Come on, Bellamy, I've been watching you mope for over two months now. You've been in there all the time, you're not even going out with Miller and Monroe anymore. We haven't seen your face in the bar or at parties in weeks."**

**"It's 'cause I'm trying to concentrate on my novel sequel, O. I'm a writer, remember, and now that I've managed to get published, I have important deadlines to keep."**

It's not really a lie, not quite. Bellamy did spend a lot of time writing in the last few weeks or at least trying to write, but that was mostly an excuse to avoid socializing.

**"It's Valentine's Day in two days, Bell,"** his sister goes on.

He can't help but roll his eyes. He should have known that Octavia's sudden visit had a purpose. Bellamy suddenly regrets the time when his younger sister was loudly proclaiming that the lovers' holiday was only a commercial event and was refusing to bend to the demands of this capitalist society. This year she would surely be spoiled by Lincoln, who was, in addition to all the qualities she was always enumerating, a true romantic.

**"Do you have any plans?"** she says as if she hasn't noticed. **"It's been a long time since we've seen Gina, either. I thought things were getting serious between you two?"**

At those words, Bellamy winces. Nothing had happened between him and Gina yet, and the young woman wasn't the one he wanted in his life anymore, but that was a completely different story a few months before. He remembers a time when they could have been headed somewhere, together; a time when their friendship could have turned into something more intimate when he almost hoped for it.

However, instead of saying exactly that to his sister, he only replies:

**"I don't think that's any of your business."**

She lets out a malicious chuckle that almost makes him shudder, before affirming the greatest of truths:

**"You know very well your business is my business, Bellamy. It's as true as you've always stuck your nose in my personal life. Even Lincoln can testify to that."**

She's not wrong, Bellamy hadn't exactly been kind to the young man at the beginning of their relationship, for... for reasons he doesn't want to explain. 

**"I'm your sister, I worry about you. And also, I would love to be auntie someday,"** she adds cheerfully. **"It's not by staying within your four walls that it will happen."**

Despite Octavia's eager, predatory smile, Bellamy can only huff.

**"Come on, if you don't have the guts to call and ask her out, I can do it for you, you know. I like Gina, unlike the rest of your conquests. And besides, I'm sure she'll say yes, she was always making heart eyes at you-"**

**"O',"** he cuts, already tired by the young woman's insistence. 

But already, his little sister grabs his phone from the coffee table, types the four digits of his code (Octavia's year of birth, of course) and unlocks it without further ado. Bellamy catches it before she can snoop on his contacts, or worse, his social networks or search history. It's nothing to be ashamed of, but he still doesn't feel ready to explain to her what she'll find there.

**"All right, play it that way. I don't care, I've got her number too,"** she mumbles, taking her phone out of her pocket.

If Bellamy didn't know her so well, he certainly wouldn't be so worried. However, Octavia has always been one of those people capable of the best and the worst. Her brother knows that she is willing to do anything to achieve her goals. 

**"Octavia, stop. What do you want?"**

Looking evil, her sister holds her phone to her chest, thinks for a few seconds and then offers:

**"Either you tell me what's going on in that little head of yours, or I'll call Gina myself."**

Bellamy knows that's not just empty words. She won't even do it out of the goodness of her heart, nor as a favor to Gina, nor to make sure that her brother's love life leads somewhere... No, she'll do it to find out the truth. Because she's figured out that he's hiding something from her and she won't let go until he tells her what it is.

So he finds himself weighing the pros and cons. 

What price does it cost him, anyway, to explain why his mood has been both nostalgic and sultry since the beginning of 2021. Nothing except the fact that she'll probably laugh at him for months and months and tell this story to all the people in their common circle, who in turn will laugh at him for months and months—

Okay, he's screwed. 

But at the same time, Bellamy doesn't want to go out with Gina either. She's sweet and kind and funny and smart and... She's got all the best qualities, and Bellamy would want to want to go out with her, but all he can think about when he's considering going out with someone is that girl. All he sees are the blonde curls hidden under the beige hat and the purple scarf tied around her neck, and the way the red of her cheeks caused by the bite of the cold brought out the pink of her full lips. The mesmerizing way in which the bright lights made the blue of her eyes shine. And every time he closes his own, he recalls the memory of their kiss, the warmth of their embrace. He can almost still feel her body pressed against his and the taste of her tongue on his.

**"Bellamy?"**

His sister's voice pulls him out of his thoughts, and when he looks into her eyes, he can read concern and compassion.

**"You have that expression again,"** she says.

Unfortunately, he knows very well what that expression is. It's the expression of someone heartbroken, which is ridiculous, really, because he can't be heartbroken. 

To be heartbroken, you have to have lost someone. 

Someone with whom you've lived a story, with whom you've shared hundreds of things and moments. 

A person you've been madly in love with.

And above all, someone whose name you at least know. 

And yet, even though he doesn't know this stranger, doesn't know her name, and has exchanged only one hold, only one kiss with her, that's exactly how he feels. He remembers the pain he felt when the crowd pulled their two bodies apart and interrupted what was possibly the best kiss of his life and his heart shatters in his chest every time.

Bellamy _is_ heartbroken. 

He is well aware that he is being dramatic, but hey, as a writer, it's part of his job, so at least he forgives himself for that. 

**"Tell me what's going on, please,"** his sister begs again.

Finally, he gives in. Not because of Octavia's threat to contact Gina, nor because he wants to get rid of his overly curious little sister, nor because he knows that now that she's asked the question that's been bothering her for weeks, she'll never give up. He gives in because he can no longer deny how lonely he feels. After all, maybe all he needs to go through this and move on is to share his regrets with someone.

Regardless of the urge to confide in someone, the words get stuck in his throat too tight with sadness, guilt, and shame. The sadness of having lost this miracle placed in his hands, the guilt of having only himself to blame for letting this beautiful girl escape him, and the shame because... 

Who falls in love with a stranger at the first kiss shared among a crowd of unknowns on a December 31st? 

_You, it seems..._

So, without a word, he unlocks his phone and presents it to his sister on his Facebook search page. He doesn't react to her puzzled look, just gives up his mobile, rests his hands on his knees and stares at them with his brown eyes while waiting for Octavia's reaction, restless.   
She will understand what's going on soon enough when she realizes that it's on this website that he's done most of his investigations, starting with the city event for New Year's Eve and tracing all the photos, videos and posts put online by the people who were in Arkadia's main square for the occasion.

Except that apart from the fact that his Jane Doe is small, petite and blonde; that she has blue eyes and that she kissed him as if the world was about to stop turning at any minute (and Bellamy credits this more to the impulse that immediately passed between them than to her kissing technique), he knows nothing about this girl.

It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, and that's why the profiles of about forty blue-eyed blondes scroll before his sister's eyes, all the ones who were there that night and who more or less fit his memory of his stranger. 

Only, to his utter dismay, none of them is the person he's looking for.

His sister looks at the screen for a moment before frowning and hesitantly asking:

**"Is this your way of telling me you prefer blondes now? Because if that's the problem, there's this girl at work, Bree..."**

Bellamy picks up the phone with a sigh. 

**"That's not it, O. Do you remember that night on New Year's Eve? When we all went to see the fireworks?"**

**"Yes, of course, it's the last time you bothered to accept one of our invitations, I can't forget that... But why are you bringing this up?"**

As she connects the dots and the beginning of an explanation forms in her mind, Octavia's face lights up. However, Bellamy soon realizes that she can't understand everything by herself. So, he finally tries to find the right words and, without daring to take his eyes off his hands, tells his version of the evening of the 31st of December 2020. 

From the moment they arrived on the square with Lincoln, Miller, and Jackson, to the moment when his back hit the young woman's back. He recounts their kiss and the fiery electric current that had passed through him as their lips met. He explains the longing, the need that had overwhelmed him at the moment they began to part, and the fusing way they had lost themselves in each other when neither of them had agreed to part.

**"I swear, O'. I've never felt that way before, with anybody. This kind of connection, this chemistry..."**

**"So what?"** says his sister, overexcited. **"Did you get her number? Why haven't I met her yet?"**

Then he tells the story of the parting. The crowd ripping them apart. The dizziness. That paradoxical moment when, at the dawn of a new year, time had stopped. Then the long minutes of looking for her without meeting her eyes again, until he finally returned to his sister and their friends. Then leaving with an empty heart and empty hands.

**"I know it sounds crazy,"** sighs the young man as he runs a hand through his brown curls and clears his throat, **"but since that night, I haven't felt like myself... It's as if— as if a part of me is missing."**

**"That doesn't sound crazy. Pathetic maybe, but you're allowed to be dramatic. You're not a writer for nothing after all."**

His sister's joke works and brings a smile to Bellamy's face...

**"I don't know what to do, O', I've been looking for her everywhere, on all the social networks. I even wrote one of those stupid posts explaining how we met and asking if anyone knew her, but it's like searching for a needle in a fucking haystack."**

Octavia lets a silence pass before asking:

**"And did it ever occur to you to ask for my help earlier?"**

A pause and:

**"What? Why would I have asked you that? You were there, okay, but it's not like you saw us."**

**"Do I need to remind you what you got me for Christmas?"**

**"No, O, I waited for two hours in line to get it when it came out, I don't think I can forget..."**

In response, Octavia holds up the said gift, her brand new phone, and shakes it under Bellamy's nose and says:

**"By New Year's Eve, I still hadn't gotten over it. I was shooting pictures of everything I could see. I took at least 500 shots of that night. I haven't even had time to sort through them yet."**

Bellamy is only silent for a few seconds, but the glimmer of hope is so strong it almost dazzles him.

**"Why didn't you tell me this before?"** he exclaims.

The young woman laughs at his enthusiasm, proud and happy to have brought a smile back to her big brother's face.

**"It's more like, why didn't you ask the world's greatest sister for help before?"**

Octavia has barely finished her sentence before Bellamy has already got up to grab his laptop and the USB cord from his own phone to connect the girl's phone to it. The latter hardly has time to protest that already, the 488 photographs of this 31st of December 2020 are being downloaded to Bellamy's hard drive. Bellamy is staring at the loading bar with his eyes as if he could force it to speed up under the simple force of his gaze. Octavia puts a hand on his thigh to calm his impatient jolts when they become too obvious. Grateful for her presence and investment, Bellamy puts his own hand on hers and squeezes her fingers. 

When the pictures finally appear on the computer, they get to work without delay, opening each one and zooming in on every detail, deleting irrelevant images immediately. It's only after almost two hours, as night begins to fall and they maximize the 319th photo, that Bellamy begins to lose hope. With each additional shoot, his mood darkens, his tone turns harsh, his comments bitter. So much that Octavia asks him to go out on his balcony to get some fresh air.

He enjoys the chilly early evening breeze when his sister's voice reaches him from the living room:

**"Uh, Bellamy... Check this out."**

He rushes over the young woman's shoulder and looks at the computer screen where a selfie of Octavia and Lincoln is displayed. Both of them smile at the camera, their eyes filled with love and playfulness. Usually, he might have found it cute, but now his patience is really running out, and he can't help answering, a little abruptly:

**"O', if I wanted to see a picture of you and Lincoln, I would've checked your Instagram. Honestly—"**

His sister stops him right away and sighs:

**"Not this, idiot. Here, look."**

Then she points to a tiny detail in the top left-hand corner of the picture. First, Bellamy recognizes the dark blue coat he was wearing, then the black scarf he had tied around his neck, and his brown curls. When his eyes land on two bright blue irises, he holds his breath in fear that the miracle will disappear again.

Yet there she is, his beautiful stranger. Wrapped in her long beige coat, the waves of her blond hair cascading fluidly over her shoulders. In the picture, she stares at him with a surprised look, and on her lips, so soft and warm, there is already an ounce of a smile. 

Octavia moves on to the next picture, and for once Bellamy doesn't even pay attention to the main object in the picture that would normally make him jump (namely, Octavia and Lincoln kissing), but keeps his gaze fixed on his own image. In this picture, he is now kissing the young woman whom he held close to him in a possessive embrace. She herself has put her arms around his neck and they seem lost in their embrace, unaware of the world around them, just as he remembers.

**"You found her..."** he whispers, in shock.

Amidst the storm of emotion that is raging inside him, Bellamy has yet to find a haven to hold on to. Yet he continues to look at that tiny piece of photo and what eventually overwhelms him is joy, and even stronger, hope. 

**"I can see why you're desperate to find this girl now,"** his sister replies.

Octavia's gentle voice brings him back to Earth. He had expected mockery and laughter, but she offers him nothing but kindness and understanding.

**"Thank you, O'. You don't know how much this means to me..."**

She smiles and puts a hand on his forearm.

**"You're welcome, big brother. I owe you a lot. And all I want is for you to be happy. If I can help, then I'm even happier."**

Bellamy can't believe what he's hearing. He didn't expect such maturity and dedication. Of course, these are qualities that Octavia has always shown but that were often drowned under her fiery nature, impulsivity, and passion. "Remind me to buy you a new phone when it becomes obsolete," he jokes to lighten the emotionally charged atmosphere of the room.

She laughs and they both turn their attention back to the screen.

**"So, what now?"** Bellamy asks, suddenly nervous at the thought that they've only come so far.

After all, his Jane Doe is still a stranger.

**"Now I'm going home,"** answers Octavia with a tired sigh. 

**"What? But, O', you can't—"**

**"Chill out, Bell. Lincoln's expecting me for dinner, and I don't want to keep him waiting. I'll work on your photos tonight, post them on the Facebook pages that can help you, and then it's just a waiting game."**

Bellamy's face suddenly crumbles. He thought the game was almost won, but it wasn't.

**"I wanted to ask her out for Valentine's Day,"** he grumbles, sore loser. 

**"Who knows,"** said his sister as she got up and gathers her things. **"Maybe it won't. Maybe it'll be faster than you think... Maybe she's looking for you too."**

With those last words, she kisses him on the cheek and walks out of his apartment. Long after she has left, and as Bellamy lets his eyes and mind daydream over the pictures she has left on his computer, Octavia's words still echo in his soul.

_**"Maybe she's looking for you, too."** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thank you a lot for reading, kudos and comments mean the world to me!  
> Also, I'm writing part 3 right now, it will be ready this weekend I hope


	3. We Meet Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter's title speaks for itself, right?

**February 13, 2021**

At dawn, it's with a beating heart that Bellamy is opening his eyes. One thing's for sure, this stranger hunt is not good for his latent anxiety.

His first thoughts turn to his sister. He hopes with all his heart that the search she carried out last night has led to something. He is aware that he's a little too impatient, but who could blame him, it's already been 71 days that he waits.

His first action is to grab his phone, put for charging on his bedside table, and frantically read the notifications that appear on the screen. 

Among the emails, advertisements, and notifications from his various social networks, three messages from Octavia appear on the screen. The first one is from last night, just before midnight and says :

**_"I've done my best to cover most of the social networks and ran Lincoln's contacts at City Hall, so I hope this will help."_ **

The second one is dated that very day, 7:00 a.m.:

_**"I met this girl at work. She's a friend and a genius."Maybe she can zoom in and improve your Jane Doe's photo. I'll stop by before work. I'll keep you posted."** _

The third was sent at 8:47 a.m., forty-five minutes before Bellamy woke up, and leaves him perfectly confused as to its contents. Octavia's message just gives an address to Arkadia and an appointment time: 11 am.

 _ **"Don't be late,"**_ warns his little sister.

Immediately, he straightens up and sits down in his bed, fumbles for the glasses he never puts on, but without which he has such difficulty seeing if he hasn't put his contacts in, then looks for Octavia's contact in his phone and starts a call. After an eternity, the answering machine goes off and Bellamy simply hangs up and makes a second call. This time, the young woman picks up after a few rings, but he barely has time to say a word:

**"You've got to stop calling me now, Bellamy. I'm working. Be at the address I gave you at 11:00, just trust me."**

He hasn't got time to say anything that she's already hung up and the young man feels he's not done hearing about it. He checks the time on his phone: 9:30. Octavia is indeed in the middle of work at that time of the day. He knows how much her job means to her and how she makes it her duty to devote herself entirely to each of the patients she receives in physiotherapy.

He runs his hands over his face and through his hair before drowning a yawn. Normally, he doesn't get up that late, but he had a hard time falling asleep the night before and his sleep was far from restful. He still has time to eat his breakfast and get ready. He' s only about ten minutes away from the address given by Octavia, which should allow him to get there on time.  
On-time yes, but for what reason? he wonders, jumping out of bed, suddenly energized by the mystery presented by his sister.

 _What has Octavia found that's so pressing?_ he questions as he pours his coffee while he takes a quick shower and gets dressed.

 _Maybe she's found his Jane Doe?_ He hopes so while taking an endless amount of time to find and choose a shirt that suits him. He hesitates for a good five minutes between dark blue and light green and finally puts on a long-sleeved black henley.

 _No, that can't be possible_ , he decides. 

After all, he's been searching for months, Octavia can't have found the woman he kissed in just one night, it would be sheer fate, it would be madness.

When 10:30 shows up on his watch, he swallows the end of his coffee in one gulp, puts on his winter coat and the same scarf he wore on the evening of the 31st of December and heads straight for the address given by his little sister in the text he received. Outside, the cold, invigorating air sharpens his mind. But his nerves are so raw that he decides to walk to his destination.

Bellamy turns the corner at 10:55 a.m. when he arrives at the place his sister has told him. His frowns furrow when he realizes that it's a store. Possibly one of those places where you can fix anything and everything, from computers to electronics to kitchen equipment, according to the storefront. 

He hesitates for a few seconds, just long enough to wonder if Octavia has given him the right address and if it isn't just one of her jokes before he finally understands that he'll only get answers to his questions by pushing the door.  
Inside, he realized that he had correctly judged the function of the workshop. Dozens of electronic and mechanical devices of all kinds are scattered around. Bellamy makes his way to the counter, taking care not to knock anything over in his path. When he reaches the back of the store, however, he is surprised to find no one there. He guesses that he's not alone, however, when the sound of what sounds like a circular saw reaches him from the back of the store. 

At first, he tries to call out a loud "Hey", hoping that the person hears it, but it's a waste of time on top of all that noise. Suddenly, a kind of doorbell with a sign "press here if you need me" attracts his attention and he pushes the red button without waiting. No sound comes from this little press, but two seconds later the noise stops and he can hear footsteps coming in his direction. 

The young woman pushing the curtain of pearls is quite stunning. Her long brown hair is held back by a wild ponytail, her dark eyes are inquisitive and shine with intelligence that it would be useless to try to deny, her golden complexion is enhanced by a bright red leather jacket which must certainly go very well with the fiery temperament she cannot hide.

She frowns at first as if annoyed to be disturbed. Finally, when she sets her eyes on Bellamy, her gaze softens.

 **"I thought you wouldn't hear me, with all the noise,"** Bellamy begins to say hello.

The young woman points to the watch connected to her wrist and presses the button in front of them. Immediately, a powerful ringing rings from the object that also seems to be vibrating and the young man opens his eyes, surprised.  
"Don't worry, I'm prepared," she explains as if the demonstration wasn't enough. **"Even though WICK SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE RECEPTION,"** she exclaims afterward. 

And a tiny little voice from afar says, **"Sorry, Rae!"**

Satisfied, the young woman finally turns to Bellamy and it would be an understatement to say that the next words that come out of her mouth shook him to the bone.

**"So, it’s you, then?"**

**"I'm sorry- what?"**

**"The 31st of December's man. The stranger who kisses like a god... Is that you?"**

Immediately, he feels his cheeks turning red and his palms getting sweaty. He knew he would be mocked by Octavia someday, but not by strangers. He runs a hand down the back of his neck and answers, self-conscious:

**"Well, I don't know what Octavia told you, but-"**

**"Oh, no, it wasn't Octavia who described your kissing technique to me in great detail. Besides, that would be weird, wouldn't it? Aren't you guys supposed to be siblings?"**

This time Bellamy doesn't understand anything anymore, he just stammers a short:

**"Yeah, that's right."**

Silence settles in between them, a long, disturbing silence in which Bellamy feels he's been x-rayed, analyzed from head to toe. To end the examination, he reaches out one hand and says:

  
**"Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Bellamy, by the way."**

The young woman raises an eyebrow and throws a smile before shaking his hand while replying:

**"I don't know if I'm not going to go for "the kissing god."**

Her carnivorous smile widens at his embarrassment and she bursts out laughing before saying:

**"I am Raven. It's nice to finally meet you."**

**"Okay, so... Where did you hear about me, if you don't mind me asking?"**

**"From Clarke, of course!"** she exclaimed as if it were obvious.

Yet, Bellamy may suddenly think back to all the people he knows in his mind in a flash, but he can't remember anyone by that name.

 **"And Clarke is... ?"** Bellamy asks.

Raven finally seems to realize something and widens her eyes.

**"Ah yes, it's true that Octavia and I had decided that we wouldn't tell you anything until that moment. Clarke is my best friend. She's the woman you met on the evening of December 31. And I can tell you, you made quite an impression."**

Bellamy's losing it. His heartbeat is racing and ringing in his ears. Raven, this woman so intense and strange, did she actually just burst into his life out of nowhere and said what she just said? He comes to his senses enough to ask:

**"I'm sorry, what? Are you sure?"**

**"I can’t be wrong, much less now that I have the pleasure of meeting you in person. Clarke's been bugging me about this since the moment I pulled it out of her. It's a miracle we managed to find you, I still can't believe you're Octavia's brother!"**

Bellamy is struggling to find the words, which seems a strange paradox, being a writer, but it seems the universe likes to play tricks on him these days.

**"You know Octavia?"**

**"For almost two years, yes. She's the one who did my rehab after my bike accident."**

She pats the splint she wears on her knee that Bellamy didn't even notice.

**"Physical therapy brings us closer. We've hit it off, and we see each other for coffee once in a while. When she called me for help this morning, I wasn't going to say no. She's pretty much the reason I'm walking again today, I owe her forever. I can't tell you how shocked I was when she showed me the pictures and I recognized Clarke!"**

Well, despite what she assumes, Bellamy can perfectly relate to Raven's reaction, because the shock he feels at that moment seems unmatched. He looks around him, lost, wonders where the hidden cameras are, wonders if Octavia will come out of a corner of the store shouting "I got you", wonders even if the blonde from his memories will suddenly appear behind him. Can he be that lucky? Can luck do things so well that it offers him the chance to find his stranger this way? 

**"Clarke isn't here, by the way,"** the young woman adds, watching him throw frantic glances around. 

Immediately, a beginning of disappointment overwhelms Bellamy.

**"Don't be mad about it. Before I threw her to the lion's den, I wanted to make sure you weren't a crazy murderer."**

**"And ten minutes is enough time for you to figure that from someone?"** he asks, impressed.

**"Ten minutes talking to you and seeing how you can't believe your luck, yeah. And the two hours I spent researching about you this morning has convinced me that you're a good guy. It's not a little criminal record from ten years ago that's going to make me question you..."**

Bellamy crosses his arms, suspicious.

**"This criminal record is confidential. It was deleted years ago."**

In front of him, Raven crosses her arms as well, totally unimpressed.

**"You don't know me very well yet, but I want you to know I don't let details like that stop me."**

Their exchange is suddenly interrupted by the sound of the store's front door opening behind Bellamy. Surprised, he turns to observe the intruder and can only remain silent as a blonde tornado makes its way to them, too busy removing her (beige) hat and (red) scarf to notice them, and exclaims with a clear voice:

**"What was the emergency, Raven? I had to drive all the way across town to get here, it better be impor-"**

The new girl freezes a few steps away from them when she meets two brown eyes which she has dreamed of far too many times and for far too long. The two strangers, who are not quite strangers at all, stare at each other, looking as if they don't believe in this reality that would finally offer them everything they wish for after having so suddenly torn it away from them a few months earlier. 

**"And that's my cue to leave. Clarke, ring me if a customer comes in,"** Raven shouts as she disappears into the back room. 

The muffled voice of the mechanic, however, echoes one last time: 

**"And don't forget that Octavia and I are expecting a big thank-you for all this. Perhaps even some rights over your very first newborn..."**

At these words, Bellamy's cheeks burn bright and he can see the same red rising to those of the young woman. After a few seconds, the latter clears her throat and asks, her voice tied by the same emotion that shakes him at the very moment:

**"Who is Octavia?"**

In turn, Bellamy clears his throat, runs a hand through his hair and answers:

**"Octavia... It's-it's my little sister, actually. It seems she and Raven met in physical therapy after a motorcycle accident, I think?"**

In front of him, big blue eyes flicker with a sudden understanding.

**"Oh! Her name' Blake, right?"**

It's Bellamy's turn to look surprised.

**"Yes, uh- how-?"**

The girl lets out a little laugh and explains:

**"Well, I've gone with Raven a couple of times to her sessions, so-"**

Bellamy is having a hard time grasping the full implications of what's happening at this very moment. One thing is certain, however, and it's the deep joy that strikes him from the gut to the heart; the thrill of excitement he feels from head to toe, and the determination in the depths of his soul that this time, he won't let her go.

 **"Can I buy you a coffee-"** he asks at the same time Clarke offers:

**"Would you like to go for a drink?"**

They both start laughing at the strangeness of the situation, and the suddenly lighter mood pushes Bellamy to take the few steps between them. If he notices the short breath that the young woman takes from his closeness, which reflects so well the feverish state he is in, he doesn't react to it, but simply says:

**"I'm Bellamy."**

**"Bellamy..."** repeats the blonde with a smile, and it would be a lie to say he doesn't like the way his name rolls on her tongue and caresses her lips. Lips that he stares at perhaps a little too hard, by the way... **"I am-"**

 **"Clarke,"** he cuts her, and he also appreciates how her name rings on his lips. **"Raven told me, yes. I'm not about to forget that."**

Her blue eyes shine brightly, reminding Bellamy of the ocean's reflection in the summer sun and making him realize that the December lights had nothing to do with the fabulous glow in them. He wants to lose himself in that gaze, to drown in it again and again. 

So he says:

**"I could use a drink, to be honest..."**

The young woman smiles and nods, playfully:

**"I could use more than one."**

She puts her hat back on her curls and begins to tie the scarf around her neck when Bellamy steps in:

**"Wait, let me help you."**

Clarke offers him the cloth and lets him place it gently around her neck. She loses herself in his reassuring closeness, in the same woody and strong fragrance that he was wearing that evening and which her senses are recognizing without her head having a say. His eyes are the same warm color she's been trying to lay down on paper since that evening, a mixture of the soft wood of the trees and the hot chocolate she likes to drink when it snows. She had misjudged his freckles, however, there are many more than she remembers and her hands are eager to count them. 

And his lips... His lips... He's busy lifting the hair caught in her scarf when she can't hold it any longer, tiptoes and brushes them against hers just for a second, a small moment during which Bellamy holds his breath and stays completely still. 

Clarke's azure eyes are wide open, caught in the darkness of his own, a true question asked without a word.

 **"Sorry, I just needed-"** she begins, suddenly wavering at his lack of response.

Her sentence is interrupted when Bellamy's mouth crashes down on hers with a force that makes her lose her balance. But the young man is there, right next to her. One of his arms comes to hold her by the waist to prevent her from falling over, while his other hand rests on her cheek. Finally, Clarke feels the touch of his fingers on her skin, a touch that had been forbidden during their first kiss because of the gloves he was wearing. 

However, she doesn't have enough time to dwell on this detail, too busy with his lips dancing on hers and their tongues tangled as one of her hands gets wrapped in his brown curls. When an eternity later, but at the same time far too early, they begin to run out of breath and part, the same excited smile hovers over their faces. 

Clarke links her hands to Bellamy's and finishes the sentence she had started earlier before their two worlds shift completely once again, but this time blending together in the most beautiful way.

**"I just needed to know I wasn't making it all up."**

The young man smiles and squeezes his fingers around hers, a way of telling her how much he understands her.

 **"And so... this drink?"** he offers again.

Clarke laughs and nods before pointing to the door behind them:

**"After you."**

*

Needless to say, neither Clarke nor Bellamy are spending Valentine's Day 2021 away from each other, or any other Valentine's Day for that matter.

**

The year 2021 ends in the same way that 2020 ended and in the same way that 2022 begins: Bellamy's lips on Clarke's in a languid, lingering, passionate kiss under the festive lights of Arkadia.

*** 

A few years later, Octavia and Raven do have rights over their newborns, when they are both named godmothers to their twins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the third and final part of my fiction "The Crowd". 
> 
> Thanks to all those who read me and supported me with their kudos and comments, you can't imagine how much it means to me. A special thank you for Kizo, whose raw but welcome honesty pushed me to write this sequel and ending (I love You Kizo!!!). I was kind of satisfied with the original bittersweet ending, but this one is good too!
> 
> Feel free to tell me what you think of this third chapter and if you liked this sweeter ending than the one originally planned!
> 
> See you soon for more fictions! 
> 
> Zouzou

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, please let me know what you thought about it!


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